Monday, February 14, 2011

Vana Chupp, designer and creator of Le Papier Studio, is a brilliantly talented artist and entrepenuer. I simply adore silhouette art, so it is no surprise I have a special place in my heart for her work!

Today I have the great honor and privilege of featuring a wonderful interview I recently conducted with Vana, as well as a mini book review. Vana has generously offered one lucky reader an autographed copy of her book, Silhouette Art!{Details at the end of the post.}

Have you heard of the book Silhouette Art? Maybe you have seen it at your local Paper Source, or featured online? I am head over heels for this wonderful book that Vana created, and generously sent me a copy of to review.

My mini book review of Silhouette Art:

The presentation is beautiful. The textured cover literally makes the silhouette "pop", and as you open and unfold, you will find that Silouhette Art is like a pop-up book for grown-ups.

The full-page vellum pouch features a cardstock frame for your silhouette artwork {perfectly sealed with a silhouette sticker, of course}.

A stunning black booklet inside the left flap features the most stunning cover (somehow the gorgeous font gives you both a vintage and modern look all at once).

Inside this booklet, Vana teaches you how to create your own hand crafted silhouette.

It teaches you step by step, is easy to follow, with a resource guide on the back page {thank you!} of where to get all the toolsto create your own "heirloom art".

From paperweights to wrapping paper, Vana shows you not only how to create a hand crafted silhouette, but also creative ways to use and display it.

Just when you thought the adventures in silhouette design were over, you realize that behind this black booklet is a thick stack of archival paper (24 sheets, to be exact), as well as more than a dozen silhouette templates--from a daschund to an antique chair.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book--creative, stunning presentation, and loads of ideas and tools to get started designing my own silhouette art (I think I will start with our pup Henry). Many thanks Vana, for not only giving me this extraordinary gift, but allowing me to share my review of it as well.

Now for a lovely chat with Vana...

{Question} Tell us a little bit about what inspired you to launch your own business, Le Papier Studio, and how you turned that vision into a reality.

My son Nikolas was the inspiration and the reason I started my own business in 2008. I wanted to find an outlet that would allow me to create and be home with him at the same time. I started small and grew my business organically. I started selling things I loved making and soon I discovered there was a market for it. Selling on Etsy helped me be part of a crafty community as well as develop my niche, specialty. As things progressed, so did the business. In 2009 I opened my e-commerse website offering an easier shopping experience for my customers.

{Question} You have a background in architecture. How has that design background helped you with Le Papier Studio the most?

Being professionally trained as an architect, I have always had an eye for design and artistic things that go together.When it came to using the softwares I currently use for all my illustration work, Architecture school had done all the work for me. So I felt I was ahead in the game.

{Question} As you can tell, I am one who personally adores silhouettes. When did your passion for silhouette art first begin?

I discovered my love for silhouettes when my son was born. Documenting my son's milestones by capturing his personality, emotion, playfulness and essence, I began using silhouettes to tell my own life story. It's a love story - continuing to blossom, with Nikolas as my muse. Coming full circle, I was able to combine my passion and artistic experience and share it all with my lovely customers.

{Question} I was thrilled with the book you recently released {and reviewed in this feature}, in particular because it teaches others how to do a craft you love and have made a business out of. What prompted you to share your passion with others by creating this book? What do you hope will come from it?

When Chronicle Books approached me to write this book, I jumped to the opportunity. I wanted the book to be a simple yet elegant DIY format which can teach someone the basics of making a silhouette but also a tool so to speak for crafty people. My intention behind the book was simply to give silhouette lovers the opportunity to create modern heirlooms with very little skills required.

We are always looking for ways to expand the brand whether it is new product or designs or even new collaborations with fellow artisans. I am so excited to say that we are currently working on some great products that will make their debut later in the year - possibly early spring. Stay tuned!

{Question} Many of our readers are starting their own businesses out of their creative passion, and often ask me where and how to begin. What advice would you have to offer them?

The best advise I was given it to JUST DO IT! We live in a country where the handmade community and the appreciation for handmade goods is growing rapidly. I still follow a handful of blogs that focus on ways to promote and run small businesses. Don't be afraid to ask questions! You will be surprised how genuine and ready to help people are. If you have any questions about starting your own business, don't hesitate to email me (vana@lepapierstudio.com). I'd be happy to help you!

{Question} Let's get to know you a little better with a few quick fun questions!

Favorite Color: I don't think I have one in particular. I do love white, grey and navy and yellow.

Favorite Illustrator: Sarah Jane Wright. I discovered Sarah when I first started selling on Etsy and besides being good friends, I am very fond of her illustration style.

Favorite places to shop online: I am officially addicted to JCrew (for clothing and accessories) and Etsy for anything handmade.

{Question} Last question: Do you have any suggestions for unique ways to use your new book? Things that may not have come to mind initially, but that your readers have shared with you or things you have discovered on your own?

Almost everyone of my customers has purchased the book to give as a gift to a crafty friend or family member. I think it will be fun to use it as part of a craft activity at holidays when all the family is in town.May be you all have some suggestions? Do share them. I'd love to know.

A TREMENDOUS thank you to Vana for taking the time out of your very busy schedule for this interview! It is such a delight to highlight such creative talent and entrepreneurship--I cannot wait to see what 2011 holds for Le Papier Studio! NOW... A GIVEAWAY!

Would you like to win an autographed copy of Vana's book Silhouette Art? Here's now to enter:Leave a comment on this blog post, telling us how you would use the book if you won. That's it!
One entry per person. Open to US residents only, must be ages 18 years and older. All entries must be received by noon EST on Thursday, February 17th.***Winner will be announced at the end of Friday's post, so check to see if you won! ***

You can find Vana {and her fabulous book and products!} on her website here, blog here, on facebook here and on twitter here.

Please note: Kate Landers Events, LLC, and any/all of its affiliates, are not responsible in any way for the delivery of any product or service in any of the giveaways we host. It is the sole responsibility of the giveaway sponsor to fulfill the prize to the winner. We have very carefully selected the lovely sponsors on our blog and to the best of our knowledge have had no issues to date with any of our giveaways.

Wow, what a lovely book and silhouettes! I love silhouettes and have been wanting to do them of my son and daughter to capture the changes in their faces. This book would help in that regard, as this is the first book of this kind I have heard of. Thank you so much Kate for a wonderful blog, and for this fabulous giveaway!

I have been trying to create silhouettes of my 5 granddaughters for a special gift for my daughter and daughter-in-law and for a wall in my home but have had no luck getting anything that even resembles the girls. I would LOVE this book and use it to create these silhouettes I have been working on for 6 months. So glad I found your blog and site!

I teach second grade. Just last week my team mates and I were dicussing our upcoming Science Unit, which includes SHADOWS, and we decided to do silouettes of our students for Mother's Day gifts this year! So if I won this book, we'd use it to learn how to make awesome silouettes of our 60 students! Thanks for the chance!

I would use this book to make unique and creative projects that chronicle my beautiful baby girl's life as she grows up. Then I can look back on the artwork with beautiful heartfelt memories that I can share with her children. Turning my artwork, of their mother, into family heirlooms that will live on long after I'm gone.

I cannot wait to see this book--silhouettes and "pop up book for adults"--you need not say more. I even have deep pink velvet silhouette wallpaper in my dining room (sounds odd, but it gorg). LOVE the sound of this book!

my mother had silhouettes cut of both my sister and i when we were small and she had them hanging on her wall as long as i can remember. however, since my parents split up almost a decade ago, i haven't seen them and i think they somehow got lost in the shuffle. i'd lofe to make new ones of both my sister and i and of our own kids to give to my mother.

Sounds like a wonderful book. I have always loved silhouettes: I created one of my daughter and now have a new son that I need to create for. As a printmaker and letterpress printer, I would definitely use the book for inspiration for paper goods and gifts!

I adore silhouettes!!! I would love a real source to learn how to do them as I played around with it on my own once before and was not successsful. I would make framed silhouettes of both my son and daughter for their bedrooms and would love to have a silhouette pillow for my daughter's bedroom